A Cochrane review included 7 studies comparing home visits after birth with no home visits, with a total of 803 subjects. Most studies had methodological limitations, particularly large losses to follow up. There were no significant differences in continued illicit drug use (3 studies, 384 women; relative risk (RR) 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89 to 1.24), continued alcohol use (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.46; 3 trials, n=379), failure to enrol in a drug treatment program (2 studies, 211 women; RR 0.45 95% CI 0.10 to 1.94). There was no significant difference in the Bayley MDI (3 studies, 199 infants; weighted mean difference 2.89, 95% CI -1.17 to 6.95) or Psychomotor Index (WMD 3.14, 95% CI -0.03 to 6.32).
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by limitations in study quality and by uncertainty of directness (differences in reported outcomes).